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Hello everyone, My name is Jesse and this is my 87' 325e.
So I have owned bmw's for the past 6 years or so and was itching for a DD so I could keep the miles off my e36. I searched for well over a year and finally spotted a red e30 sitting on a roll back in the back of a guys yard. I stopped in and spoke to the owner. He said they bought the car 6 years ago from an old lady and have yet to be able to get the car running. The interior of the car was immaculate, including a crack free dash, 149,xxx miles on it and a 5 speed. The guy told me I could have the car for $800. I showed him $650 and he took it.

After getting the car home I bought a battery and attempted to start the car, just cranked and cranked. I had spark but no fuel. I figured since the car sit for 6+ years I would start replacing things that would need to be replaced anyway. I replaced the internal and external fuel pump, along with a new fuel filter. So now I could hear the fuel pump kicking on! Great! Still wouldn't start. I bought an extra dme and still no start. Then it hit me, how clogged those injectors must be. Found a used set on craiglist for $20. Threw them in and bam! Started right up!

Ok now the car is running. Went to pull out of the driveway and take it around my block, went to hit the brakes and the pedal went all the way to the floor! Installed new brake lines, now we have brakes. Ok now the car is running solid and in good driving condition, off to fix the little things.

What wasn't working and/or issues:
1. A/C
2. Three of the power windows.
3. Radio
4. Leaky fuel when filled up
5. windshield washers wouldn't spray
6. oil leak
7. heater/ac fan only worked on 4

So replaced the valve cover gasket, water pump, aux fan, t-stat when I did the timing belt. Took about 6 hours taking our time.
Bought a used radio off ebay and installed it. Installed new windshield washer valve to fix the no spray. Blower resistor motor, now works on 1-4. Installed 134a retrofit kit and charged the a/c, now is ice cold. So all that was left is to fix the windows and fuel leak.

For the windows I started moving around switches to see if it was just bad switches, didn't fix the issue. Decided to take the door panels off and take a better look. The window motor and regulator tracks were super dry, greased them and sprayed some wd40 into the window motor. After letting the grease and wd40 set for a few minutes I grabbed the emergency window allen head tool and began to work the windows while pushing the window buttons. After about 45 minutes the windows were going up and down on there own!

The tires were also dry rotted bc of sitting for 6 years, picked up a set of borbet wheels with new tires for $200!

After driving the car for about 2 weeks, the gears in the cluster broke. I replaced the gears for about $25 and now miles are recording again!

So as of today the only thing left to fix is the leaky fuel issue when filled all the way up. Hopefully going to tackle that this weekend!

Purchase of the car $650
parts to fix everything, including the price of registration and the new wheels/tires. $500

$1150 total on a now reliable DD with 150,000 miles

This is my first write-up, don't bash me too bad! Pics attatched are from the day I picked her up.

So got the tires mounted and balanced on my new wheels this weekend and they turned out great. I test fitted them on the car and decided that I don't want to go with a drastic drop since this is my daily driver. Going to sell these eibach's and get a milder drop. Also fixed my fuel leak and can now enjoy less stops and the fuel station!!!! Here's some pics
Some pics have the center caps and some don't, still waiting on the bmw emblems to arrive.

So yesterday on my way home from work the car started running like crap, zero issues untill now. When stopped at idle, there is a knock/tapping noise, doesn't sound like in engine. Believe its because the engine is shaking at idle. Also when I give the car gas under load it shakes like the car is falling apart. Hoping just a vacuum leak or something simple. Didn't have time to look at it yet. Any thoughts?

broke motor mount, 1-2 fouled plugs, hole in a piston. theres alot that could do that.

id start with a power balance test, which remove one spark plug wire and start the engine, if its worse, put wire back on and go to the next. find out which one doesnt effect the idle/shaking. then thats the cylinder to focus on. if all have the same result (does exactly the same to all) try fuel pressure test and compression test

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I know a lot about cars. I can look at a car's headlights and tell you exactly which way it's coming

Thanks Downhiller. I replaced the plugs yesterday with no help. Talked to our local E30 genius and he said it's one of three sensors causing the issue. He said the knock I'm hearing is from the transmission input shaft making noise because the car is running so rough. He said could be AFM, temp sensor or the third one I can't remember. He has a few parts and going to bring them and see what we can figure out this evening.

So I started unplugging each ignition coil and found that the misfire is on cylinder 3 only. I popped of the valve cover and the rocker arms look good. My next step was a compression test and got 150 across all 6 cylinders, that was a relief. I checked spark on the ignition coil and it's good. So I have spark and good compression. Time for some injectors, ordered a used set but wont be here untill next week. I will update then.

Did you verify that you have spark from the # 3 plug wire? A bum wire would be easier than injectors to change. For a mild drop I would look into the H&R OE sport springs. I have a set on my 89. They were really intended for big bumper cars on my 89 it dropped the rear about an inch more the front which I compensated with thicker spring pads. And up front I actually wound up using E90 spring plates to lower it a bit more. But I've seen them on big bumper cars and they drop the car like 3/4"-1". And they ride quite nice.

Nasty gas. I see what's clogging my injectors! Started to clear up and get less orange l. Going to ad 5 more gallons sometime this week and drain from behind filter vs in front and see if cleaner. If cleaner going to replace filter and clean injectors and go from there. Also going to change the filter (cheap $5 one) every fill up for next 4-5 times. Any thoughts/suggestions?

Gas looking better! Drained all of the fuel, changed filter that was clogged and full of grunge. Plan is to fill up and add marvel or seafoam and change fuel filter each of the next 5-6 fill ups. Hopefully tank will get clean!